Greg Parker is a man I’ve heard good things about and he’s in the Republican runoff for the unexpired term on the Texas Railroad Commission versus commission chairman Barry Smitherman. But unlike Smitherman who has appeared on Pratt on Texas several times by seeking us out, we’ve never had any communication from Mr. Parker.
On Monday, I sought out Mr. Parker’s campaign with a request for an interview so that my audience could hear from him. Surprisingly, Mr. Parker telephoned me right away and confirmed that he was available at the time requested. In the brief exchange in which he confirmed availability, he wanted me to go over with him what we were going to talk about in the interview.
“You are a runoff candidate for Railroad Commission, are you not?,” I asked.
“Yes,” Parker answered.
“Well, that’s what we’re are going to talk about,” I stated.
What the heck else did he think I wanted him on for?
It’s bad enough that Mr. Parker wanted to be given an inside track on what questions he’d be asked in an interview, something that just isn’t done and something I’ve never had a candidate ask, it gets worse. After being told the region of Texas covered by Pratt on Texas (the northwest quarter of the state) and the program format, Parker said he had to talk over with staff whether he wanted to even sit for the interview.
Mr. Parker approached getting earned-media across West Texas, the most valuable thing a candidate can get and something a statewide candidate should be doing daily (and usually beg for), with an attitude disdain and suspicion. What statewide candidate could be familiar with all the various local and regional shows in Texas? The whole thing was disconcerting, odd and shows Parker isn’t ready to be Railroad Commissioner. I withdrew the interview request. Vote Barry Smitherman.
